stone—and an imposing tower, the Tour de Constance, set slightly apart from the walls
themselves.
Dredging and canal building were employed to control silting and to give access to the
sea. Even at its best, however, the inner harbor could not handle large ships. These were
obliged to anchor in the open sea, where they were subjected to the heavy winds
characteristic of that part of the Mediterranean.
Aigues-Mortes (Bouches-du-Rhône),
city walls. Photograph: Clarence
Ward Collection. Courtesy of Oberlin
College.
Aigues-Mortes, city plan. After
Stierlin.
The townsmen who inhabited Aigues-Mortes received an enormous number of privileges
to stimulate the prosperity of the foundation. For example, every ship that came within
Medieval france: an encyclopedia 26